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Garfield on the Town
Garfield on the Town is the second half-hour animated special based on the Garfield comic strip. It features the voice and music talent common in Garfield animated specials including Lorenzo Music (as Garfield) and Lou Rawls (providing the songs). The special premiered on the evening of October 28, 1983 over the Columbia Broadcasting System sponsored by McDonald's and like its predecessor, Here Comes Garfield, also won an Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program. This was the second and last Garfield special to be produced by Lee Mendelson and J.C. Melendez, famous for their Peanuts specials. All future Garfield animated productions were produced by Phil Roman (under his production company, Film Roman), who directed all the specials up to 1990. A story somewhat similar to the special ran in the comic strip beginning December 3, 1984 and ending on December 26 of that year. Storyline Jon becomes concerned about Garfield's behavior after he messes up the house. Somewhere in between being dragged out of the house and being driven to the vet, Garfield falls out of the car and is lost in the inner city. He tries to make the most of it until he runs into a gang of unfriendly alley cats that call themselves the Claws. Garfield confronts the gang leader, who then calls for the rest of his gang, to which Garfield runs away and ends up in an abandoned restaurant where he is reunited with his long lost mother. The building they are in used to be "Mama Leone's", which is Garfield's birthplace and also where he discovered a love for lasagna. Garfield's mother takes him to see the rest of the family including his tough maternal grandfather, as well as his sickly half brother Raoul and his cousin Sly, who is the security guard on watch for the Claws. Garfield is appalled to learn that everyone in the family are mousers. The Claws have tracked Garfield down and have surrounded the building, demanding Garfield come out for offending them. The family decides to fight instead of giving up Garfield to the Claws. Garfield hides cowardly while the family fights and finally chases the Claws away. Garfield's grandfather calls him a "lardball" and demands that Garfield leave for showing cowardice during the fight. Reassured by his mother that they all envy his easy life at Jon's home, Garfield says goodbye and leaves. Garfield is out in the soaking rain until Jon, driving by, sees Garfield, who says "Home, Jon", and collapses in the back seat. The next morning, Garfield wakes up in Jon's house and thinks the entire experience may have been a dream, but when he sees his mother departing Jon's front yard he knows that she is still looking out for him. Songs in Garfield on the Town * "Just Another Crazy Day" performed by Lou Rawls * "Startin' from Scratch" performed by Lou Rawls * "Home Again" performed by Desirée Goyette * "The Claws" performed by Desirée Goyette and Lou Rawls * "Home Again (reprise)" performed by Desirée Goyette This special was first released on video by CBS/FOX video in 1990 (along with several other Garfield specials) and is now available on the Garfield: As Himself DVD. Garfield's mother would make occasional appearances in the strip, and Garfield: His 9 Lives would better explain his origins at the Italian restarant before he met Jon and Odie in the eighth chapter of the book. In this, Garfield instantly falls in love with lasanga when he first gets a taste as a kitten, then proceeds to help himself to the restaraunt's pasta. The owner promptly grabs Garfield, stating that Garfield is eating the profits, and proceeds to take Garfield to a pet shop. Quotes adapted from the strips *Jon: And they say pets are therapeutic. **Originally from January 20, 1979 Category:TV specials